MILWAUKEE VIOLENCE: WAKE-UP CALL

Question: How many times will Milwaukee's leaders receive a wake-up call and ignore it? How many times will they keep hitting the snooze button when the alarm goes off?

Answer: Enough times to allow the city to sink into a state of chaos.

Mayor Tom Barrett insists that the city is not in crisis.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm says that Milwaukee is "remarkably safe." (That's a direct quote.)

Common Council president Willie Hines tells CNN, "There's no racial tensions that exist within the city of Milwaukee."

Aldermen, the ones against the anti-gang loitering ordinance, the ones with spaghetti spines, fail to take action to address the problems.

Local NAACP officials cry racism rather than call for order, and align themselves with thug politicians like Ald. Michael Mcgee.

There is a stunning lack of leadership in Milwaukee. The incompetence is at jaw-dropping levels.

This hasn't just become evident with the Juneteenth Day violence, although that is the incident that currently is putting the city in the national spotlight.

The skyrocketing gun violence is a long-time trend.

The violence at Milwaukee Public Schools is routine. Some of the most troubling incidents are assaults on teachers and staff, and brawls that involve thug students AND their thug parents.

And then there is the heartbreaking murder of innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire, such as 4-year-old Jasmine Owens, dead because she was playing outside early in the evening.

Overnight alone, there were seven people injured in six shootings. In less than twelve hours, seven were shot.

Seven people were wounded, including a 19-year-old man who is in critical condition this morning after a shooting at 11 p.m. in the 2900 block of N. 12th St. A 17-year-old girl was also shot in this incident.

Other than the victim in critical condition, those wounded in the shootings are in stable condition today, police said.

There are no suspects in custody in any of the cases, according to police.

The shooting started in the city about 3:15 p.m. yesterday when a 26-year-old man was shot near N. Holton and W. Burleigh streets.

That was followed by other shootings in:

*The 1300 block of N. 36th St., where a 29-year-old man was shot about 9:15 p.m.

*The 3700 block of W. Garfield Ave., where a 17-year-old male was shot about 11:30 p.m.

*The 4500 block of N. 30th St., where a 23-year-old male was shot about 1:15 a.m.

*The 3200 block of N. 13th St., where a 19-year-old male was shot about 1:50 a.m.

Milwaukee has seen violent crime leap 27.7% in the city.

And how do the leaders respond?

Sheriff David Clarke believes, "Some of these neighborhoods are going to have to be occupied by the police 24-7."

Ald. Tony Zielinski pushed for an anti-gang loitering ordinance to get thugs off the streets. Mayor Barrett hasn't decided yet whether or not he will veto the measure.

Ald. Bob Donovan has railed against Mayor Barrett for his failure to lead decisively and take dramatic action to counter violence. Donovan suggested bringing in the National Guard to help patrol the city's most dangerous areas.

Only a handful of leaders in Milwaukee don't need a wake-up call. They get it.

The majority of the city's leaders are in denial.

It's as if they think by hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock, they can go on sleeping and ignore the reality that they MUST WAKE UP and face the harsh reality of day.

It's a disgrace. It really is. They are failing the people they were elected to serve.

Tom Barrett is being exposed as Milwaukee's version of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin.